Georgian 9ct Gold, Fern Agate Necklace

A beautiful and rare Georgian necklace. It was made circa 1820 and has been set with a specimen fern agates. Fern or moss agates were extremely popular in Georgian jewellery. No two agates are exactly alike. Over the years they have been referred to as either tree, picture or landscape agates due to the naturalistic patterns they portray. Ironically, they are not true agates but, instead, range from a translucent colourless to whitish-grey variety of chalcedony quartz, with markings known as dendrites, which derives from the Greek word “dendron” for tree. The plant-like structures in black and brown display an organic appearance, but the markings are actually inclusions with traces of iron or manganese, which crystallise inside the agate’s fine surface fractures and create the branch and single tree, or multiple woodsy, motifs.

The agates are mounted in Roman 9ct gold settings and there is a hidden tongue clasp that protects the continuity of the design.

We also have the matching bracelet and a ring to match.